Many Obese With CKD Want to Lose Weight

But many are following dietary interventions that contribute to decline in renal function

MONDAY, Feb. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Many overweight patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) want to lose weight and are utilizing weight loss methods that may further kidney damage, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in the International Journal of Obesity.

Sankar D. Navaneethan, M.D., from the Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues analyzed data on 10,971 overweight and obese adult participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted between 1999 and 2006.

The researchers found that total daily energy intake of the CKD population was significantly lower than the non-CKD group (1,987 versus 2,063 kcal per day; P = 0.02) even after adjusting for other variables. Between the groups, the percentage of energy derived from protein was similar. Significantly more of the CKD population did not meet the minimum recommended leisure time physical activity goals, compared with the non-CKD group (66 versus 57 percent). Weight loss was pursued by 50 percent of CKD participants and 55 percent of non-CKD participants; however, on multivariate analysis, the presence of CKD did not correlate independently with the pursuit of weight loss. Among participants pursuing weight loss, both groups used similar modalities, with 8 percent of CKD participants utilizing medications to encourage weight loss.

"There is a lack of convincing evidence on beneficial effects of intentional weight loss in CKD," the authors write. "Significant proportions of the CKD population follow dietary interventions that may have high-protein content and this may contribute to a decline in the renal function."